18 novembre 1944 - Beaufighter VIf nr. MM953 - Gusano di Gropparello (PC)

Missing Air Crew Report: 414 Ni Ftr Sq. - Pisa - Target or intended destination: East Po Valley; Type of mission: Intruder; 18 Nov. 1944; Aircraft Beau Mk VIf - AAF Ser. Nr. KV-944 - Crew position: Pilot Howard, John M. 1st Lt., Radar Observer Murphy, John F. 2nd Lt.

1ST LT. JOHN M. HOWARD, 0-7113450, (PILOT), AND 2ND LT. JOHN F. MURPHY, 0-16955E9 (RADAR OBSERVER), WERE AIRBORNE AT 1957 HOURS FROM PISA AIRDROME, ITALY, IN BEAUFIGHTER MM935 ON AN INTRUDER MISSION TO THE EASTERN PO VALLEY. LT. HOWARD CALLED IN AIRBORNE TO THE CONTROLLER OF BLUE FIGHTER CONTROL SECTOR IMMEDIATELY AFTER TAKE OFF AND THIS WAS THE ONLY RADIO TRANSMISSION RECEIVED FROM HIM. HIS TIME IN THE TARGET AREA WAS FROM 2030 TO 2230 HOURS ARRIVING BACK AT BASE AT 2300 HOURS.

WHEN LT. HOWARD WAS FIFTEEN (0:15) MINUTES OVERDUE BLUE FIGHTER SECTOR WAS ASKED TO TRY TO CONTACT HIM OVER R/T WHICH WAS DONE WITHOUT SUCCESS. BLUE SECTOR WAS THEN ASKED TO KEEP CALLING AT INTERVALS UNTIL 0300 HOURS, WHICH THEY DID WITHOUT RECEIVING ANY TRANSMISSIONS FROM LT. HOWARD. THE DUTY A-3, 62ND WING WAR ROOM WAS ASKED TO CONTACT THE 5TH ARMY, ACK ACK, AND ANY OTHER UNITS WHICH MIGHT POSSIBLE FURNISH ANY INFORMATION. BLUE SECTOR WAS AGAIN CONTACTED AND ASKED TO SEND OUT A COMMAND BROADCAST REQUESTING NEWS. NONE OF THESE EFFORTS PROVIDED ANY POSSIBLE CLUE.

Libro "Figli di Nessuno" di Giuseppe Prati, TEP Piacenza 1980: "La notte del 06 settembre 1944 nei pressi di Gusano precipitava per avarie subite in combattimento un caccia americano. I partigiani del distaccamento, accorsi immediatamente sul posto, estrassero dall'aereo pressoché distrutto il corpo straziato ed ormai esamine del pilota che seppellirono, dopo esequie religiose, nel vicino cimitero. I documenti in possesso furono consegnati al parroco perché li custodisse e l'incidente segnalato al servizio informazioni del comando alleato il quale provvide a fine guerra alla traslazione della salma in patria."

libro

Torna indietro